There were numerous standout performers for Everton yesterday, who claimed their fourth away win of the Premier League season against a resolute Nottingham Forest side.
Given the hosts had lost just once at the City Ground too, walking away with three points is a coup only emphasised, and has gone a long way towards their survival stash.
After all, given Burnley had thrashed Sheffield United earlier on Saturday, the Toffees actually kicked off at the foot of the table.
Whilst Dwight McNeil will steal headlines for his stunning left-footed winner, and rightly so, it was arguably the defensive showing that once again secured this result.
So often Sean Dyche has leaned on the immense solidity of his back four, and yesterday was no different.
Jarrad Branthwaite will earn plenty of plaudits for his mature showing, but journalist Chris Beesley instead sought to highlight James Tarkowski in his post-match player ratings.
Writing for the Liverpool ECHO, he offered the following summation after handing the centre-back an 8/10 rating: ‘Other than a moment when the ball got stuck under his feet at the end of the first half and almost played his side into trouble, he was a defensive colossus against former Burnley team-mate Chris Wood.’
How did James Tarkowski play vs Nottingham Forest?
It should come as no surprise that, after such a stunning showing, the former Burnley ace was gifted the joint-highest rating of any Everton player (7.6)
Such a figure was buoyed by a myriad of defensive interventions, with Tarkowski managing a stunning nine clearances, one interception and one tackle to support Beesley’s claim, via Sofascore.
However, perhaps the most pertinent statistic comes from the duels he won, which went a long way towards protecting Jordan Pickford and securing that clean sheet.
He would win ten of the 13 duels he competed in, and when paired with the further five his centre-back partner Branthwaite managed, it’s fair to say that they were good value for shutting out Forest.
It’s fair to say that if Everton are to remain defiant and stay up despite this points deduction, they will need every ounce of fight they have left in them after two already gruelling relegation dogfights.
But with warriors like Tarkowski in the side, they certainly boast more than enough steal to achieve that goal with ease.
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